Ga. Capitol roundup: Senate panel advances noncitizen voting ban

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia Senate committee is supporting a plan to amend the state constitution to include a ban on voting by noncitizens.

The Senate Ethics Committee voted 7-2 on Thursday to advance Senate Resolution 363.

If voters approved, it would place the ban on noncitizen voting that’s already in state law into the constitution.

MORE | Kemp delivers State of the State address

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Butch Miller of Gainesville and others argue the constitution needs to be clarified.

It’s one measure Miller is backing as he competes in a Republican primary for lieutenant governor.

Opponents say the measure is redundant and spreads the falsehood that people are illegally voting. It moves to the Senate for more debate.

Spending, crime, conservative issues top Kemp’s Georgia plan

ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp laid out a plan for a “safer, stronger Georgia” in his State of the State address.

The Republican called for more money for teachers and schools and an effort to crack down on crime in his annual speech on Thursday.

The speech comes as Kemp seeks reelection against Republican challengers and Democrat Stacey Abrams. Kemp is calling for pay raises for teachers and other state employees.

He also wants to increase funding for K-12 schools and universities and provide $1.6 billion of state income tax rebates.

The governor has appealed to conservative voters by proposing to eliminate a requirement that residents obtain permits to carry concealed weapons and protect students from certain teaching on race.

Democrats respond to State of the State address

ATLANTA - Georgia’s Democrats held a news conference immediately after for Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State address on Thursday morning.

They addressed multiple issues that were not mentioned in the Republican governor’s speech. Among them:

Sen. Gloria Butler also said she was not surprised that Kemp did not mention voting rights.
House Minority leader Dr. James Beverly said that the governor is more concerned about getting guns in the hands of people than vaccines in the arms of Georgia’s residents.
Sen. Harold Jones accused Kemp of focusing on made-up issues in Georgia schools instead of focusing funding on supporting children in poverty in school.